Motor-cycle.



No. 660,296. Patented Oct. 23, I900.

' a. n. GREEN.

MOTOR CYCLE. (Applicltion ma July 0, 1000 (No Model.)

17206 722, 07? Wines 6 I, '%W M w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcs.

GEORGE D. GREEN OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES HENRY SAGER,OF SAME PLACE. i

MOTOR-CYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Letters PatentNo. 660,296, dated October23, 900. Application filed July 9, 1900; Serial No. 23,026. (No model.

To all whom it may concern:

useful Improvements in Motor-Cycles; and I do hereby declare'thefollowing to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the same, ref-.

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and

to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to motor-cycles, and has for its object toprovide a frame particularly adapted for motor bicycles or machines thatare liable to a fall which would tend to injure or disable the motor,said frame being of course capable of being coupled with severalsupporting-wheels, if desired, or couframe adapted not only to carry themotor in such a way that the center of gravity is near.

the ground, but to provide a device in which the motor and operatingparts are effectually prevented from injury should the machine beoverturned or otherwise subjected to hard usage, all as will behereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in theclaims at the end of this specification. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor-bicycleembodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the framethereof.

Similar reference-numerals in both figures indicate similar parts.

My improved frame is particularly adapted for use in connection with amotor-bicycle in which the action of the motor upon the propelling-wheelmay be supplemented by the muscular exertions of the rider. Whenstarting the machine, the vehicle may be propelled entirely by therider, and vI have therefore adopted-a frame approximating the shape ofthe ordinary diamond bicycle-frame,although differing therefrom in someimportant particulars.

The frame of the machine, which is shown in Fig. 2, is constructed, asusual, of tubular material and embodies the uppersubstantially-horizontal tube or brace 1, connected atits forward end tothe front inclined tube Be it known that I, GEORGE D. GREEN, of 1Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have inventedcertain new andor brace 2, to the lower end of which latter is attachedthe rearwardlyinclined tube or brace 3, extending from the tube 2downwardly and rearwardly, and to the lower portion thereof is attachedthe hearing or crankhanger 4 at the lower end of the seat-post 5, whichlatter isconnected at its upper end to the'rearportiou of the horizontaltube 1. The seat-post or support 5 I have shown as com posed of twoseparate tubes or supports connected at their ends, and for theapplication of the form of motor shown in Fig. 1 prefer this; but it isnot essential, and a siugle-vertical tube could be employed, if desired.

6 indicates the upper rear fork of the frame, attached-at its forwardend to the top of the seat-post and extending downward on opposite sidesof the rear or propelling wheel to the-point'of attachment to the axle 7of said propelling-wheel, (indicated by 8,) journaled on said axlein-any suitable manner.

9 indicates a fork connected to or forming part of the front inclinedtube or brace 3 and extending from beneath the crank-hanger 4 somedistance downwardly on a slight curve, as shown, and then rearwardly andupwardly to the point of connection with the rear axle -7, the rear endof this fork being formed with or rigidly attached to the plate orforging 10, which may, if desired, be formed with said lower fork 9 orwith the upper rear fork 6, or it may be a separate plate brazed orotherwise attached to the forks. The furcations of the fork 9 arepreferably connected intermediate their ends and forward of thepropellingwheel by a cross-brace 11, (shown in Fig. 2,) although thisbrace is not essential.

Extending from the rear connecting-plate o or forging 10 to theseat-post 5 are the side rods or braces 11, constituting in effect afork connected at its forward end to said seatpost. The forward orsteering wheel 13 of the bicycle shown is mounted upon an axle in theends of the fork 14, connected to a spindle or post extending throughthe bearing-tube 2 and having at the upper end suitable steering-handles15.

16 indicates a crank-shaftprovided with the I00 pedals or cranks 17 andmounted in the shaft-v hanger 4, said crank-shaft having a sprocketwheel18, around which passes a drivingchain 19, extending around the sprocketon the rear driving-wheel, the connection between the pedals anddriving-wheel being preferably by ratchet mechanism of any approvedtype, so--that the driving-wheel may operate independently of the pedalsor cranks when desired.

20 indicates a motor adapted for driving the bicycle provided with asuitable rotary shaft connected by a chain 21 with a suitable sprocketor other engaging wheel 22, mounted upon or connected to the reardriving-wheel. This motor may be of any suitable construction.andoperated by steam, electricity, or other power; but in the presentinstance I have shown a gas-engine of a Well-known type.

It will he noted that the motor itself is located entirely within theframe just above the lower fork 9, and its upper portion is effectuallyprotected by the side braces 11. The driving-shaft of the motor islocated below the center of the supporting-wheels 8 and 13, thusbringing the center of gravity low and preferably below the axles of thesupporting-wheels and also below thepedal-shaft'. The forward curvedportion of the lower fork 9, which forms practically a continuationofthe front inclined tube or brace 3, is beneath the motor and is soshaped that it will effectually protect the latter from any obstructionwhich may be encountered in riding, and the.

front portion being inclined or curved will ride over any suchobstruction after the man ner of a sled.

- In the present embodiment the motor or engine frame is secured byclips or braces 23 with the lower fork 9 and also with the braces 11;but the manner of fastening may be changed as desired so long as themotor itself is located entirely within the skeleton frame embodying thebraces 11 and fork 9, which efiectually protect the operating parts frominjury even if the machine should be thrown on its side. The motor shownis a well-known type of explosive-gasolene engine, and the variousappurtenances and attachments are indicated in convenient positions uponthe frame; but as these form no portion of my invention no detaileddescription is deemed necessary and their construction and locationmight be varied without affecting my invention.

The frame shown with the motor-inclosed therein could be, if desired,employed in conrear axle and a driving-wheel, a frame embodying theseat-post, the lower fork extending downwardly and rearwardly from thelower end of said post and then upwardly to the supporting-axle, the twoside braces extending from the rear axle to the post between its ends,and the upper fork extending from the axle to the upper end of theseat-post of a motor connected to the driving-wheel and located betweenthe forks and the seat-post and the axle and between the side braces.

2. In a motor-cycle, the frame embodying the upper horizontal member,the front memher, the seat-post, the lower inclined member connected tothe front member extending downwardly below the end of the seat-post, alower rear fork forming a continuation of the inclined member and thenextending upwardly to the rear axle, the upper rear fork extending fromthe rear axle to the top of the seat-post, and the side braces extendingfrom the rear axle to the seat-post intermediate its ends, incombination with the rear axle, and a driving-wheel, a driving-motorconnected thereto and located between the seat-post and rear axle, abovethe lower rear fork and between the side braces.

3. In a motor-cycle, the frame embodying the upper horizontal member,the front memher, the downwardly and'rearwardly extending memberconnected to the lower end of the latter, the seat-post, thecrank-hanger at the lower end of the latter, the lower fork extendingbelow the crank-hanger and rearwardly and upwardly, the upper rear forkconnected to the top of the seat-post and to the, rear end of the lowerfork, the side braces extending from the rear end of the lower fork tothe seat-post intermediate its ends, in combination with a rear axle, arear drivingwheel, a driving-motor having an operatingshaft connected tothe rear wheel, said motor located between the rear forks and betweenthe side braces, a crank-shaft having pedals thereon and. located inthecrank-hanger in the frame, and a connection between said crank-shaftand the rear driving-wheel.

4. In a motor-bicycle, the frame composed of the upper horizontalmember, the front tube, the seat-post, the crank-hanger at the lower endthereof, the lower inclined front member extending from the front tubeto the crank-hanger, the lower rear fork extending from the end of thelast-mentioned member downwardly, rearwardly and upwardly, the upperfork extending from the end of the lastmentioned fork to the upper endof the seatpost, the side braces extending from the end of the lowerfork to the post intermediate its ends, in combination with a rearaxle,a driving-wheel on the axle between the rear forks, a drivingmotorlocated between the side braces having an operating-shaft connected tothe driving-wheel, a crank-shaft in the hanger connected to thedriving-Wheel, and a front fork, and a steering-wheel mounted thereon.

IIO

5. In a m otor-bicyele, the combination with motor located between theside braces having to the front and rear axles, a frame having the anoperating-shaft arranged below the front upper rear for]; and the lowerrear forks, the and rear axles and connected to the rear seat-post andside braces extending from the Wheel, and the rear driving-wheel on therear 5 rear ends of the forks to the seat-post inter axle.

mediate the ends of the latter, said lowerrear I GEORGE D. GREEN. forkscurving downwardly from the lower end Witnesses: r 0f the seat-post,then extending rearwardly G. WILLARD RICH,

and upwardly to the rear axle, of a driving- G. A. RODA

